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DAY 11: Andreeva stuns Sabalenka, Rybakina beaten by Paolini

tennis05 June 2024 21:46| © AFP
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Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since 1997 with a shock victory over second seed Aryna Sabalenka, who was struggling with an apparent illness, at the French Open on Wednesday.

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The Russian is the youngest woman to reach the last four at a Slam event since Martina Hingis at the 1997 US Open, and the youngest at Roland Garros since Hingis, also that year.

"Me and my coach, we had a plan today but again I didn't remember anything. I just try to play as I feel," said Andreeva.

Sabalenka called for multiple medical time-outs as she complained of not feeling well and Andreeva, playing in her maiden Slam quarterfinal, eventually took advantage with a composed display.

The world number 38 completed a memorable win in style after almost two-and-a-half hours with a brilliant lobbed winner, delighting the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd.

"I was also a little surprised as you guys cheered for me, I didn't expect that so thank you very much for cheering me today," she told the spectators.

Sabalenka had been targeting a seventh straight Slam semifinal and had won 11 consecutive matches at the majors following her second Melbourne title earlier this year.

Andreeva will play 12th seed Paolini for a spot in the final on Thursday after her own surprise 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over former Wimbledon champion Rybakina.

Paolini made just one unforced error in a dominant opening set, but her level dropped after breaking to lead 4-3 in the second, allowing Rybakina to force a decider.

But she edged a topsy-turvy third set which featured five breaks of serve to secure a deserved victory, as a wayward Rybakina exited the tournament in a blaze of 48 unforced errors.

The 28-year-old Paolini, who was playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, continued a brilliant week for Italian tennis after Jannik Sinner also made his maiden French Open semifinal and took the men's world number one ranking.

It is the first time Italy have had semifinalists in both the men's and women's singles at a Slam event in the Open era.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Paolini, who had never got past the French Open second round and had only won four Grand Slam matches in her career before this year.

Tournament favourite Iga Swiatek plays US Open champion Coco Gauff in Thursday's other women's semifinal.

ZVEREV MAKES FOURTH STRAIGHT SEMIFINAL

Alexander Zverev reached his fourth consecutive semifinal in Paris by seeing off Australian Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-6, (7/5), 6-4 in the night session.

The German will next face Casper Ruud, the 2022 and 2023 runner-up, on Friday for a place in the final after the Norwegian was handed a walkover following Novak Djokovic's withdrawal with a knee injury.

Fourth seed Zverev is still bidding for his maiden Grand Slam title.

The 27-year-old was not at his best against De Minaur -- making 48 unforced errors and hitting only 20 winners -- but dug deep at the right moments, including saving a set point late in the second set before winning a tie-break.

He failed to serve out the match in the ninth game of the third set, but finished it off with a break just minutes later.

"Happy to be in another semifinal, hopefully I can win one," said Zverev, who has lost six of his previous seven Grand Slam semifinals, including all three at Roland Garros.

Zverev is playing under the shadow of an ongoing trial in Berlin over allegations of assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

De Minaur, seeded 11th, had never even got past the second round in Paris before this year, winning just three of 10 matches.

Djokovic had been due to face Ruud in a repeat of last year's final, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion's title defence was abruptly ended by the knee injury he suffered during his dramatic last-16 victory over Francisco Cerundolo.

Media reports suggested Djokovic was set to undergo surgery, which would put his participation at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics in doubt.

Sinner will usurp Djokovic as world number one next week and the Italian goes up against Carlos Alcaraz in Friday's other men's semifinal.

There will be a first-time French Open men's champion for the first time since 2016 on Sunday, with Ruud the only man left in the draw who has previously reached the final.

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